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Freeworld Rockin'

Phil Bellante comes from a long line of politically aware, socially relevant, musically adroit, and vocally unpredictable singer-songwriters like Neil Young,

Harry Nilsson, Perry Farrell, Bruce Springsteen, and their deep-thought freeworld-rockin’ brethren. Think Edwin McCain backed by the Cowboy Junkies.

“I was inspired by the way Tracy Chapman addresses social issues in her songs,” says Bellante, “with lyrics that are meaningful and relevant without being preachy.”

Raised in Cleveland, Bellante grew up in a musical family, studying both piano and guitar. “My grandmother was playing piano right into her 90s,” he says, “and that made her one of the coolest people I knew. My mother was a poet, and that has always influenced my lyrics.”

After graduating from college and arriving in San Diego with business degree in hand, Bellante says, “The only business I was interested in was the one called ‘show.’ Luckily, I found a musical partner right away in drummer Aaron Redfield [Switchfoot].”

Bellante and his band perform at the San Diego County Fair on July 5.

WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?

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1. Tool, 10,000 Days. “I admire the band’s outside-the-box style and unique sound. Songs like ‘Vicarious’ and ‘Right in Two’ have very relevant messages.”

2. Daughtry, self-titled. “I have a pretty similar style with music arrangements, and there are several great songs on this first release of his.”

3. U2, The Joshua Tree. “A timeless masterpiece with a lot of good songs…not just the one or two hits.”

4. Third Day, Revelation. “I’ve been listening to this group since the early ’90s for their uplifting spiritual music and catchy choruses.”

5. David Gray, White Ladder. “Another classic end-of-the-day type of CD that’s great to just relax and chill out to. Good boat and beach music.”

MOST VISITED WEBSITES?

1. Amazon.com. “Everything under one roof, and no increased California sales tax.”

2. FaceBook.com. “A bunch of my friends try to indirectly brag about themselves [using other names].”

3. Craigslist.com. “Even though people on there are trying to sell pre-owned stuff at above-retail prices, and there are a lot of vehicles for 85 percent off from some military sergeant in the U.K. that just needs me to pay the tax before delivery.”

4. Market-ticker.denninger.net. “It has independent commentary on the financial markets and the government — with a lot of sarcasm.”

CARE TO RATE PRESIDENT OBAMA’S PERFORMANCE SO FAR?

“They [politicians] are all the same when placed within the system. At least this one speaks a lot more eloquently than George W.”

WHAT VIDEO GAME ARE YOU PLAYING?

“Rock Band, because that’s all I do — play in a rock band.”

FAVORITE LINE FROM SPINAL TAP?

“This pretentious ponderous collection of religious rock psalms is enough to prompt the question ‘What day did the Lord create Spinal Tap, and couldn’t He have rested on that day, too?’ ”

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Phil Bellante comes from a long line of politically aware, socially relevant, musically adroit, and vocally unpredictable singer-songwriters like Neil Young,

Harry Nilsson, Perry Farrell, Bruce Springsteen, and their deep-thought freeworld-rockin’ brethren. Think Edwin McCain backed by the Cowboy Junkies.

“I was inspired by the way Tracy Chapman addresses social issues in her songs,” says Bellante, “with lyrics that are meaningful and relevant without being preachy.”

Raised in Cleveland, Bellante grew up in a musical family, studying both piano and guitar. “My grandmother was playing piano right into her 90s,” he says, “and that made her one of the coolest people I knew. My mother was a poet, and that has always influenced my lyrics.”

After graduating from college and arriving in San Diego with business degree in hand, Bellante says, “The only business I was interested in was the one called ‘show.’ Luckily, I found a musical partner right away in drummer Aaron Redfield [Switchfoot].”

Bellante and his band perform at the San Diego County Fair on July 5.

WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?

Sponsored
Sponsored

1. Tool, 10,000 Days. “I admire the band’s outside-the-box style and unique sound. Songs like ‘Vicarious’ and ‘Right in Two’ have very relevant messages.”

2. Daughtry, self-titled. “I have a pretty similar style with music arrangements, and there are several great songs on this first release of his.”

3. U2, The Joshua Tree. “A timeless masterpiece with a lot of good songs…not just the one or two hits.”

4. Third Day, Revelation. “I’ve been listening to this group since the early ’90s for their uplifting spiritual music and catchy choruses.”

5. David Gray, White Ladder. “Another classic end-of-the-day type of CD that’s great to just relax and chill out to. Good boat and beach music.”

MOST VISITED WEBSITES?

1. Amazon.com. “Everything under one roof, and no increased California sales tax.”

2. FaceBook.com. “A bunch of my friends try to indirectly brag about themselves [using other names].”

3. Craigslist.com. “Even though people on there are trying to sell pre-owned stuff at above-retail prices, and there are a lot of vehicles for 85 percent off from some military sergeant in the U.K. that just needs me to pay the tax before delivery.”

4. Market-ticker.denninger.net. “It has independent commentary on the financial markets and the government — with a lot of sarcasm.”

CARE TO RATE PRESIDENT OBAMA’S PERFORMANCE SO FAR?

“They [politicians] are all the same when placed within the system. At least this one speaks a lot more eloquently than George W.”

WHAT VIDEO GAME ARE YOU PLAYING?

“Rock Band, because that’s all I do — play in a rock band.”

FAVORITE LINE FROM SPINAL TAP?

“This pretentious ponderous collection of religious rock psalms is enough to prompt the question ‘What day did the Lord create Spinal Tap, and couldn’t He have rested on that day, too?’ ”

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Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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